Clocking mechanism for knitting-machines.



E. RICK & W, G. STOLZ.

CLOCKING MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION HLEO DEC. I. 3915.

Patented Sept. 12, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 scri'ptiou our invention conz istx in the knitiimiii: STATE @FECE.

EDRVARD RICK AND XVILLIAM G. STOLZ, 0F READIEIG. PENNEYIJVAIHA, ASSIGNORS TO CK KNITTING COIVLPANY, OF EEADING EENNSYLVAZIIA, A. CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

(BLOCKING MECHANESM FOB KNifTiIVG-MAC-HINES.

Application filed fie-camber 1, 1915.

To all iv/4.0m [If-may .mnzmm lie it known thatAvefEmv um Rim; and VHJLIAM G. i'ro'nz, 'ic' .izen of the United St'atg5, and residents '(fi iiiimiiing, county of Marks, and Stato'of Pennsy iviinia, limo invented ii certain new and useful lniprovw.

ment in Clocking iViBCiiliIliSU'iS. for Ruiningh'iilCiill'lLS and do hereby declare th t tho tiohfis uaoii, 28 for exumpio in hosiory, and

the ohjo xt of our inveiition is,'gonerai1y shit-ed, to provide? a knitting in'iu'hin guppiying such :MiliiiiOilili, thread which \vii! 'h iv thr importmit uiivantagcsf of simplicity of pin-ts to the end that-tho first cos; ofmanufacture may not heggroafi and (he iikciihood of derangement oiii'nimiiori; 1' ?-2i(ior ez zrav of adliul ztuient, sons to var)? tentoi'jho :ipplimitionof tho extra thrm iiover tho body of the urtioig: being; knittmil and wise and quickness of'ziccirsis to tho knitting moizhnnisin which requires the roiim\':\i,;or iiih ihici-ment from posi'lioii f the extra: tiiromi mo hiuiisin, and witi this oh t in view, and to sociiro advantages which \viii h iippi rcni'to those. siv'ilh-d in the :irtivhen'tliiunihodinnmt of; our mm,- Lion is lHHil'l't-x'UHKi iron) {ho i'oiiowing iicfingpmncifino having HH! charm-Mir 'igg of aonstr' nciion mihsizmiiaiily us hvrcinaftcn slim-Him! iiii-zl (iifliiflili. and ono on'ihoihmunt 'h-mvontmn is shown in [he ncconidrawings in which i (3 is a siihi-iovuiion of lho rzlokhnr raising lever; Fig. 7 is a detail view on zui'on hirgoii Scni'. of th lower portion. of tho extra th'rcud "Hi'l'ltli; Fig. 6 15 ii. horizontal Specification. of Lettfirs Pain-rat.

ma-m

ssi mi (24.550.

"21 on tin: iino &-i of Fig. 1; Fig. 9 is view in .pcti've of one of the ihroziii (.nirrior iovars. 1

'ihii aims-him shown in the drawings in which our invention ernihodicd, a-c-i'rling mzivhinv of the W011 known in for i 'itii'ig stockini gg having imlcr ii), neu iies; ll :ind the 1 0 catin" iho RIC-Edits. As is common in this art the :xllru thread carrier for forming the. clock in tho (31150 of aiztouking i'iiaqhino, is cans-mi to piano, or carry such thread around the (ivsirocl nuinhciof needles, accordingto the design to he made, and one, or more of .iuiivutoil trfmpt. 12, 1916.

such carriers may he oinployodJ Iniithew machine shown in the drawings them are two such carriers, and myths construction of tho curriszr iUQ-LiiiilliiSli'l iij5e1f iszliikG-in :iii thui are employed, it wiihbg understood that thidescription of one cz rrior' mocha-'- nimu \viii apply to all. 3

Thioxtm ihrom] mrrior 13 is a vertically CXiLUiHiH|I iovor that depends from and 1S (run-ml by El (crank device. of'variabie throw g 3 l HQHHUXiLJ! ug s iiizihed, that is mounted on a head 15 which is supported al'Jove and shghii); iwcuin'ii: to'tho (ill'Ci' ifiU' row of noodles mm min ring, for inv (be case showin.

thii-ioixio are sligh center of histocking. uri-iL as. by Inez-ins of 21 set.- screw 16 t0 he lower and of u non-rotaij vertical shaft 17, and which at its ripper and pzisses'through to one side of the and iitx an opening in an al'n' lfi of a colmun or upright 19 that is supported-by and The hand 15 is'se.

rm iron'i tho hase'of the machine, the shaft l7 huviiw. iihove'nnri biow the wrtiQn of. h v the arm 18 throughAvhivh it passes, collars f3!) and 21, rcspmrt-ively. (31052. fitting beixvccn the. lower set (3()ii2li' 2lilll(l the arm.

arms ll on the cam ring by the rotation ,of which the rods 23 are revolved in a path. or orbit concentric with the shaft 17, the purpose of which, as hereinafter explained, is to impart the rotary movement to the additional thread carrier to pass the additional thread .about the needles of the knitting machine for clocking the stocking being knitted.

The variable throw crank mechanism coniprises a tubular shaft or sleeve 25, journaled in a vertical hole in the arm 15, and a head .26 atits lower end on the under side of said arm 15, which head has a diametrically extending slot or groove 27. In the latter is slidably fitted a horizontal block 28, from the bottom of which projects downwardly a shank 29, that is bored vertically with a. round hole 30, in which is fitted the round stem 2,1 that constitutes the upper portion of the thread carrier 13'. The stem 31 has near its lower end an annular flange or collar 32, and screwed on the lower end of the shank 29 is a coupling collar 33, which ongaging the lower side of the stem flange 31 connects the thread carrier with and supports it from, the slidable block and slotted head which constitute the crank device, It

will be evident that, when the vertical axis of the thread carrier is coincident with the' vertical axis of the crank shaft '25, no'orbital movement of the thread carrier can take place. but it the block 28 be shifted horizontally in the slot in the crank head, the thread carrier will describe a circular path of a diameter agreeing with or determined by the extent of eccentricity of longitudinal axis of the thread carrier to the axis of the crank shaft 25. Normally, coincidence of these two axes is maintained as by means of a coil spring 44, which at one end bears against an end wall of the head 26, and atthe other end bears against the slidahle block or crank pin 28. On the upper side of the latter is a downwardly and horizontally inclined cam face 34, which is engaged by the lower inclined end 35 of the vertically movable bolt 36, mounted in the tubular crank shaft It will be evident that by a down ward movement of the bolt 36, forcing its lower inclined end against the cam face 34, the slidable crank ,pin will be moved bodlly sidewise. and carr with it the thread carrier 13. n Thus, with power applied to the crank shaft 25, to rotate it, the thread carrier 13 will be caused to revolve in an orbital path of greater orless diameter, ac-

cording: to the degree of eccentricity which is produced by the lateral shifting of the thread carrier 13.

For rotating the crank shaft 25, we provide a toothed wheel 40 upon the upper end thereof above the head 15, and a rack bar 41 which rests upon and is attached to a yoke plate 12 which extends between the two rods '23. the rack bar. being. by the revolutionof the rod 2;} aboutthe shaft 17. brought int an engagement with the wheel in and imparting: a single revolution to the sleeve 37 to carry the additional.thread about the desired number of knitting needles.

The rack bar ll is movable vertically so that when it is desired to prevent it actin; upon the wheel 40 that can be done. a lifting lever 41 being: provided for'tlntt purposithat has a cam slot -ll-U that engages a stud or pin 411 on a depending arm of the rack. The rack is latched in its raised and its lowei'ed position by :providing a pawl H13 in the form of a spring-pressed ball adapted to seat in either of two depressions M3 in the side of the lever. tween the yoke 42 and the rack bar to permit this up and down movement of the rack bar consists of several vertical pins 420 that project fro'm the upper side of the yokeand which .pass through holes in 'therack bar.

The cam actuating bolt 364st its upper cud is reduced in diameter and projects free and in position to be engaged by a sleeve 45 vertically slidable upon the shaft 17, or by the adjustable said sleeve, so-t iat by the downward movein, or screw 46 carried by' The connection bemerit of the sleeve 45-the bolt 36 will be moved downward against the upward'pressure of a spring 45". -The sleeve 15 serves as a bobbin carrier 'for the sup i' of the extra thread, said sleeve being I provided with a radially projecting arm 456 for each bobbin having the usual bobbin-receiving stud, or post 451.

Above the top of the sleeve 45, and resting thereon, is a block, or kc 47 which passes diametrically through a s ot 48 in the shaft 17, said slot being verticallv elongated so as to allow the desired vertical movement of the key 47 to impart movement to the sleeve 45, and said key on its top is engaged by the lower end of a rod48 which extends through a central axial hole 50 in the shaft 17 and projects above the shaft, and upon its upper end has a head, or cap 51 slidable vertically upon the reduced upper end of the shaft. Above the head is disk 5 upon the lower end of a,- vertical aft 53 dntcd to revolve on an axis eccentric to the pits of the shaft 17, said shaft 53 being journaled in and supported by a bearing 54 inthe arnr ward movement of the bolt 36 and the shifting or the thread carrier 13 to the desired position required by the number of needles to be wrapped. It will be seen that the amount of projection of the pin below the bottom of the disk 52, determines the angle to which a thread-carrying lever 13 shall be swung, and'accordingly'the number of knitting machine needles about which the additional thread will be wrapped.

For revolving the disk 52, its periphery is provided with, or formed into ratchet teeth 56, and a feed pawl or ratchet 57 is pivoted to the upper end of a lever-M4- whirh is pivoted intermediate its ends to the side ofthe upright, or post 19 and by a suitable connection with some rotating member of the knitting. machine, isrocked at the proper time to cause the turning movement of the disk 52.

The thread carrier 13 isfjointed immedi-' ately below, or contiguous to its stem so that its portion below said stem is connected by a pivotpin .59 with the upp erportion, the. pin 59 extending horizontally so that plac tically all of the linger below the collar 33 may be swung outward and upward and thus entire-l)" away from the knitting needles. By this arrangement, wh eu'access to the knitting needles, or to the stocking be,

ing knitted; as for the purpose of applying the topto tliestocking, is requ red, all that is necessary to do is merely toswing the lower eye-carryingmember of the carrier finger 13' in the manner" described without" the disturbanceof ahy'othenpart of the mecha-' nism. A holding device, such as a set screw 60, is provided to secure the lower portion of the finger '13 in proper operative position.

It is importantto prevent rotation of the threadcarrier 13 on its own longitudinal axis, for could it so. rotatefthe'thread would be wound and tangled thereon. To prevent such rotation, but at the smile time allow the free bodily rotation of the carritrby the action of the crank mechanism, we attach to the lower end of the shaft 17 a radial. finger G1 which slidably fits a radial hole 2 in the upper part of the block G3',.t0-, Wlll(:ll the lower portion of the carrier is hanged, and to which the carrier stem at its lower end is connected as ry n threaded connection shown. The radial finger 61 has a pivotal connection with the shaft 17. so that with the slidable connection which it has with thecarrier block 63, it permits the orbital revolution of the carrier when that is produced by the crank mechanism, while preventing revolution of the carrier on its axis. 'The radial finger 61 is not a support for the thread carrier 13, but the latter is wholly supported or suspended by its connection with the crank shaft, through the medium of the slotted head 26 on the latter. said head having on its under side near each end,

gthe thread delivery poi nt or the finger. to re a cross bar or strap 64, upon which rests the crank pm block 28.

The carrier linger 13 has its lower portion formed of a slender shank (35 and the tln-ead-guiding: eye is formed by a longitie dinallv extending,"axial holefilh reaching from the lower endof'saidshank upward,

and by "a lateral cut 67' that intersects the upper portionof the holelit.

It is to be remarked that we understand that the scope f our invention extends to other constructions than appears m the embodnnent shown in the drawing and described in detail in this specification, and the scope of our claims is to be understood in the light of this statement. 1

Having thiisdescribed ourinvention what we claim is 1. In a knitting machine, theieombina- 1 tion with the needles and the needle actn ating mechanism, 'additional thread-supplying means comprising a thread:carrier. means to cause the thread delivery point of: the carrier to revolve about the-needles CH!!! prising a rotary member with whoseaxis of rotation the longitudinal axis'of the linger normally coincides means to shift the thread carrier bodily, radially of the axis-of the rotary member to' vary: the; size of the orbital path described by its thread delivery point 4 2. In combination with needles nt "knit" ting machine, additional ulwas.l pl jn means comprising a finge r, nleanstl'a cans volve aboutthe. needles, comprisinga rotary.

member, and means to shift said-- finger hm] ily radially" of the rotary member to "and from a point concentric therewith and to maintain said finger 'in the i positions. to which it may be shifted"out'of-its concen: tric position, said revolving means acting to revolve the finger while in 'itsshifted .posi} tion.

3. In combination .with the needles of a knitting n'iachine, additional thread supply mg means comprising'a finger, a variable .throw crank, suspending-said linger, so that.

at all times the longitudinal axis of'the finger is either coincident withor parallel with the axis of revolution of the crank li'ieans for imparting rotation to the crank nterinittently, and means for shifting the l in. ger radially of the axis of revolution of the;

crank.

4. In combination with the needlesof a knitting'machine, additional thread supply-i 'ing means comprising a finger, a variable throw crank suspending said finger so that at all times the longitudinal axis of the finger is either coincident with or parall elwith the axis of revolution of the crank. means for unpartmg rotation to the crank interinittently means for shifting the finge'rrzu (hally of the axis of revolution of the crank,

' ea'rrier (o revolve aliout'the needles, including V L and means to prevent rotation ofthe finger on it:- axis.

x :5; In a knitting machine, the com ination avith lhe nee(lles and the needle actuating:

nua-hanim of additiomil-tln'ead. supplying: means comprising a thread earner, means to a-anse the thread delivery point of the a rotating member, shift'alile means connecting: the thread earrier thereu'itlnand means for changing the point-oi aueh connectionradially of the rotatinfi! member.

(i. In a knitting lnaehinmftlie eomllinih tion with the needles and th'e needle actuating meehanism. of inlditionahthread supplying't-ineans eoinprislng a thread carrier plying means comprising a thread ca'rrien means to cause the-"thread delivery: point of the. carrier to revolve about the needles, including a rotating mambenand means to shift the position .of the delivery point'of tthe earrier from coincidence withthe axis of rotation of said rotatingfmemher to a.

position eccentric thereto, comprising va rotatable element having a plurality of ad: justable actuating devices to "cause: each shifting.

8. In a knitting machine;the-.comliin a tion with the needles and the needle actuating mechanism, of additiomil-thread supplying means. comprising a. thread carrier, aneans to cause that thread delivery point of the arrier'tojrevolve about the. needles,-

ineluding a rotating member, a cam block eonnected with the thread carrier and slid-v ahle in a slot "in and rotating member, a

slidahlebolt mounted concentric-with the axis of said rotating member engaging said earn hloek, and automatic means to move said bolt.

9. In a knitting UHHlllllt. the combine.-

tion with the needles and the rotating can't; ring ofthe. needle actuating IIl('(lil\nlS!I l, ad

-"'('litional-thread Supplying: means compris ing' a pivotally hung thread earrier, means to cause the thread del iver mint of the carrier to revolve ahoui llie needles, includin; a rota-{jug menila-r axal a toothed wheel,

a rod'eoiineeted \vithand rotating! with the eam ring. a melt har mounted on said rod and adapted to engage said toothed wheel,

said raek l ar moving-with the. rod when the latter-rerolvesnvith-the c ani ringnand means to move. the raek liar along the'rmlto change its operative position with erenee to xaidnvheel. 10. In a clX'CIllltl knitting machine, the

eolnhination" with the needles, and the" nee-' dle acti'lating mechanism, of additional ed finger, a .ginp'port for said finger suspend threaduppl}ing means comprising a jointing the same almye the needles whereby the finger. hangs pendent above the latter. and' 'menns situated ahove the finger for rotating the salne to cause its lower endto carry' a thread about theim edles the; joint in, the? finger .lwin'g situated helow-xtlie needle sup-' I rt. and theneedle-rotating ineans,'where tile-portion ofthe finger.eontiiruousto the neee may beswung horizontally. I In tci timoliy that/we we have hereiinto set our hands;

EDIVARI) RICK.

claim the foregoing 

